Responsibility Has Its Rewards: Responsible Major League Soccer Fans Earn Ultimate Reward at MLS Cup 2012(tm)

(December 02, 2012)

Los Angeles, CA, Dec. 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the Houston Dynamo and LA Galaxy close the door on the 2012season after amazing performances at MLS Cup 2012™, two fans andtheir guests are reminiscing about the experience of a lifetime atMLS Cup 2012™. Johnny Chin, from Houston, TXand the Houston Dynamo Designated Driver for the Season andShannon Draper, a fan from Whittier, CArepresenting LA Galaxy were selected as the grand prize winners ofthe "Responsibility Has Its Rewards" sweepstakes. The sweepstakesis in its seventh season, provided by Techniques for EffectiveAlcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition with support from Major LeagueSoccer (MLS), and it continues to succeed in raising awareness forthe designated driver programs offered by MLS teams. Both fans andtheir guests attended MLS Cup 2012™ at the Home Depot Center inCarson, CA on Saturday December 1, 2012. The winners wererecognized on the field at halftime of the game after having beenselected from among the record 22,447 fans who pledged to bedesignated drivers at MLS games throughout the 2012 season,ensuring a safe ride home for their friends and family.

(l to r) JoAnn Neale, Executive Vice President, Major League Soccer; David Henson, Senior Manager, Sports Marketing with Anheuser-Busch; Morgan Holleran, Event Manager, TEAM Coalition; Johnny Chin, Designated Driver for the Season for Houston Dynamo; Shannon Draper, Designated Driver for the Season for LA Galaxy

The top three MLS clubs for designated drivers in 2012 are:

Seattle Sounders FC: 4,273 designated drivers

New England Revolution: 3,785 designated drivers

Real Salt Lake: 2,988 designated drivers

"One of Major League Soccer's top priorities is the safetyof our fans, and our partnership with TEAM Coalition is anexcellent program that provides a positive message," said EvanDabby, MLS senior director of Supporter Relations & Safety andTEAM Coalition second Vice Chairman. "We're pleased to work withTEAM Coalition to promote responsible habits."

"Anheuser-Busch has led our industry in promoting responsibledrinking for 30 years and Budweiser Good Sport, which reminds fanswho choose to drink, to do so responsibly and get their friendshome safely is one of our most visible programs," said Kathy Casso,vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility at Anheuser-Busch."We all share the same streets after the game. This partnershipwith Major League Soccer, participating stadiums, concessionaires,TEAM Coalition and soccer fans displays our collectiveresponsibility to help keep our roads safe." Anheuser-Busch and itswholesalers promote responsible drinking among MLS fans byimplementing Budweiser Good Sport fan responsibility programs with10 MLS venues throughout the season.

At Soccer Celebration - the festival held outside of the HomeDepot Center before MLS Cup 2012™ - hundreds of MLS fans pledged tobe responsible by promising to always have a designated driver andnever drive drunk. Those responsible MLS fans received souvenirphotos and they autographed a larger-than-life soccer ball, aschampions of responsibility. The promotion for fans at SoccerCelebration was a partnership between TEAM Coalition, MLS,Budweiser and el Jimador.

"We are excited to work with the other members of TEAM Coalitionand build upon our efforts to encourage responsible drinking," saidBrown-Forman's Director of Corporate Responsibility, Rob Frederick."Sporting events and concerts should be safe and fun for everyone,and I believe through collaboration we can more effectively promotepositive fan behavior."

"All the responsibility programs we offered this season weregreat examples of how MLS and the league partners are able toshow support for the clubs' efforts in coordination with theconcessionaires, distillers, the brewers and the local beerwholesalers to encourage responsible fan behavior," said JillPepper, executive director, TEAM Coalition. "Teamwork is what theResponsibility Has Its Rewards campaign is all about. It is proofthat when everyone - including the fans - takes responsibility,everyone wins."

About MLS

Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is thetop-flight professional soccer league in the United States andCanada. MLS features many stars from the U.S., Canada, and aroundthe world. Major League Soccer's 17th season features 19 clubs eachplaying 34 regular-season matches. Those clubs include the ChicagoFire; Chivas USA; Colorado Rapids; Columbus Crew; D.C. United; FCDallas; Houston Dynamo; 2011 and 2012 MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy;New York Red Bulls; New England Revolution; Philadelphia Union;Portland Timbers; Real Salt Lake; San Jose Earthquakes; SeattleSounders FC; Sporting Kansas City; Toronto FC; Vancouver WhitecapsFC; and, in their inaugural season, Montreal Impact. For moreinformation about MLS, log on to the league's official website atwww.MLSsoccer.com.

About Anheuser-Busch

For nearly three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwidenetwork of wholesalers have invested more than $930 million innational advertising campaigns and community-based programs topromote responsible drinking, prevent underage drinking and drunkdriving and address college issues. For more information on thesealcohol responsibility efforts and the progress being made, visitwww.anheuser-busch.com.Budweiser is the Official Beer of Major League Soccer and proudlysponsors 10 of the 19 MLS clubs.

About Brown-Forman

For 140 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched theexperience of life by responsibly building fine quality beveragealcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, SouthernComfort, Finlandia, Jack Daniel's & Cola, Canadian Mist,Korbel, Gentleman Jack, el Jimador, Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer,Chambord, New Mix, Tuaca, and Woodford Reserve. Brown-Forman'sbrands are supported by nearly 3,900 employees and sold inapproximately 135 countries worldwide. Brown-Forman's el Jimador isthe Official Tequila of Major League Soccer. For more informationgo to www.brown-forman.com

About TEAM Coalition

TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professional and collegiatesports, entertainment facilities, concessionaries, stadium serviceproviders, the beer industry, distillers, broadcasters, trafficsafety experts and others working together to promote responsibledrinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainmentfacilities. TEAM Coalition members and supporters include MajorLeague Soccer, Major League Baseball, National BasketballAssociation, NASCAR, National Football League, National HockeyLeague, National Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, DelawareNorth Companies - Sportservice, Ovations Food Services, BeerInstitute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-BuschCompanies, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Live Nation, NationalAssociation of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation,Elite Show Services, International Association of Venue Managers,Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway TrafficSafety Administration.